Automatic water filter valve for air lines

ABSTRACT

A device for automatically expelling water from air lines, the device including an air paddle in front of an air intake tube, the paddle being mounted upon a needle valve stem that is vertically movable as the paddle is rotated, the valve stem having at its bottom a water exhaust orifice, and when the valve stem is lifted, the water in a bowl is allowed to flow from the bowl and into the atmosphere.

AUTOMATIC WATER FILTER VALVE FOR AIR LINES This invention relatesgenerally to valves. More specifically it relates to water ejectingvalves.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a valve whichwill automatically expel water from air lines.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a valve forautomatically expelling water from air lines and which incorporates arotatable paddle rotated by air from an intake tubing, the rotatingpaddle causing a needle valve stem integral therewith to be lifted froma valve seat and allow water to be'drained through an orifice opened bythe lifted valve stem.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an automatic waterfilter valve for air lines which is simple in design, inexpensive tomanufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient inoperation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of thefollowing specification and the acco panying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention-shown partly in cross section ofan assembly incorporating the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the needle valve unit thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral representsan automatic water filter valve for air lines according to the presentinvention wherein there is a cup unit 11 that is mounted to intercept anair line, the cup unit 11 accordingly having an air intake tube 12 andan air exhaust tube 13 communicating therewith. The cup unit includes adownward extending vessel 14 crowned by a cap 15 through which the tubes12 and 13 extend and communicate with an interior compartment 16 withinthe vessel 14.

The air intake tube 12 extends downward a relatively greater distance,the lower end thereof being turned at right angle so to direct an airstream against a paddle 17 mounted upon the upper end of a needle valvestem 18.

' The needle valve stem 18 and paddle 17 comprise elements of a needlevalve unit 19 shown in greater detail in FIG. 2 of the drawing.

The needle valve unit 19 includes a threaded plug 20 which threadinglyengages within an opening 21 in the bottom of the vessel 14, the plughaving an upwardly extending sleeve 21 integral therewith within whichthe needle valve stem 18 is rotatable and vertically slidable. Avertically extending orifice .22 through the plug '20 and at the bottomthereof communicates with a transverse extending opening 23, the upperportion of the orifice 22 forming a seat 24 for the lower end of theneedle valve stem 18 which thus seals off the upper end of the orifice22. i I

The needle valve stem is provided with a sidewardly extending orradially extending cam following peg 25 which rides upon the upper edge26 of the sleeve 21, the upper edge 26 being configurated into a cam asshown in FIG. 2 of the drawing in greater detail. One end of a tensioncoil spring 27 is connected to the peg 26, the opposite end of thespring 27 being secured to the side of the sleeve 21. The tension spring27 comprises a return spring.

ln operative use, the valve worksas follows:

The incoming air strikes one side of the air paddle. This causes thepaddle and the attached needle valve stem to rotate. As the stemrotates, the cam following peg rides up the cam face on the upper end ofthe sleeve. As the following peg rides up the raceway, it lifts thevalve stem upwardly from its seat. Thus a communication is providedbetween the orifice 22 and the transverse opening 23, it being readilyevident from FIG. 1 that the opening 23 communicates with a lowerportion of the chamber 16 where water is likely to collect by droppingfrom the intake tube 12. Thus a means is provided for the water to bedischarged outwardly of the cup unit. It is to be noted that the spring27v keeps the valves stem from rotating a full 360. Instead the stemwill rotate only about 60 to the top of the raceway or cam face, thuscausing the spring to pull the peg back to itspriginal starting positionafter the air ressure l8 s ut off. As indicated by the phantom lines 28in G. l of the drawing, a possible filter installation may be installedwithin the cup unit if preferred.

I claim:

1. in an automatic water filter valve for air lines, the combination ofa cup unit intercepting an airline, said cup unit including a cup shapedvessel surmounted by a cap, the ends of said air line extending throughsaid cap and into said vessel, one said end of said air line comprisingan air intake tube and the other said end of said air line comprising anair exhaust tube, said air intake tube extending relatively furtherdownwardly within said vessel, and the lower end of said tube beingturned at right angle and directed toward a needle valve unit mountedwithin said vessel, said needle valve unit comprising a plug having athreaded lower end which is threadingly engaged within a threadedopening a bottom of said vessel of said cup unit, said plughaving anintegral upwardly extending sleeve, said sleeve supporting slideably androtatably free therewithin a needle valve stem, and said needle valvestem having an air paddle integral therewithin upon the upper endthereof, said air paddle being in alignment with the end of said airintake tube for being rotated by air discharge therefrom.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said plug is providedwith a vertically extending centrally positioned orifice, said orificecommunicating with a transverse extending opening within said plug, saidtransverse opening communicating with a central chamber within saidvessel, a valve seat being formed at the upper end of said orifice, saidvalve seat being engaged by a lower end of said needle valve stem forclosing off communication between said orifice and said transverseopening.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein an upper edge of saidsleeve comprises a cam face, said needle valve stem having a radiallyextending peg integral therewith, said peg being slidable along theupper side of said cam face, and spring means for returning said needlevalve stem downwardly for engaging a lower end of said needle valve stemupon said valve seat.

1. In an automatic water filter valve for air lines, the combination ofa cup unit intercepting an air line, said cup unit including a cupshaped vessel surmounted by a cap, the ends of said air line extendingthrough said cap and into said vessel, one said end of said air linecomprising an air intake tube and the other said end of said air linecomprising an air exhaust tube, said air intake tube extendingrelatively further downwardly within said vessel, and the lower end ofsaid tube being turned at right angle and directed toward a needle valveunit mounted within said vessel, said needle valve unit comprising aplug having a threaded lower end which is threadingly engaged within athreaded opening a bottom of said vessel of said cup unit, said plughaving an integral upwardly extending sleeve, said sleeve supportingslideably and rotatably free therewithin a needle valve stem, and saidneedle valve stem having an air paddle integral therewithin upon theupper end thereof, said air paddle being in alignment with the end ofsaid air intake tube for being rotated by air discharge therefrom. 2.The combination according to claim 1 wherein said plug is provided witha vertically extending centrally positioned orifice, said orificecommunicating with a transverse extending opening within said plug, saidtransverse opening communicating with a central chamber within saidvessel, a valve seat being formed at the upper end of said orifice, saidvalve seat being engaged by a lower end of said needle valve stem forclosing off communication between said orifice and said transverseopening.
 3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein an upper edgeof said sleeve comprises a cam face, said needle valve stem having aradially extending peg integral therewith, said peg being slidable alongthe upper side of said cam face, and spring means for returning saidneedle valve stem downwardly for engaging a lower end of said needlevalve stem upon said valve seat.